Harvester



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Shet 1.

C. OOLAHAN.

HARVBSTER. No. 285,464. Patented Sept. 25, 1883.

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(No Model.)

' 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. G. GOLAHAN.

HARVESTER.

Patented Sept. 25, 1883.

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OHARLESCODAHAN, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

HARVEST ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 285,464, datedSeptember 25, 1883, Application filed May 16, 1883. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES OoLnHAN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Cleveland, in the county of Ouyahoga and State of Ohio, haveinvented a certain new and useful Improvement in Harvesters, of whichthefollowing is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, forming apart of thisspecification.

My invention relates to improvements in grain-carriers for harvesters,and is particularly adapted to that class of grain-carriers whichconsist of an endless apron or belt, of canvas or similar material,adapted to run over rollers placed at each end of the platform orelevator of a harvester.

As is well known, grain-carriers of this class are very sensitive tohygrometric changes in the atmosphere, and stretch or shrink to such anextent as to require the belt to be frequently tightened or loosened.

The object of my invention is to provide simple and readily-operatedmechanism for tightening or loosening the endless carrier, whichmechanism may also be adapted to tighten the said carrier by a yieldingpressure, whereby slight variations in the length of the belt, caused bythe stretching and shrinkage of the canvas, will be compensated for.

My invention consists in novel organizations of mechanism andcombinations of parts, as hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, which are illustrative of my invention,Figure l is a perspective view of a harvester platform and elevator towhich my invention has been applied, a portion of the platform andcarrier being broken away to show the carrier supporting and adjustingmechanism. Fig. 2 is a plan View of a portion of the outer end of theplatform, showing the movable roller and the manner of connecting andsupporting the same. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 4 is aView of the adjusting-lever and the yielding pressure mechanism. Fig. 5is a vertical section of the upper portion of the elevator, showing theadjusting mechanism applied to the elevator-aprons. Fig. 6 is atransverse sectional View on the line at x in Fig. 5, showing thearrangement of the mechanism for re volving the upper movable roller.Fig. 7 is a view in detail of the yielding mechanism, the adjlisting-lever being shown-in dotted lines. Fig. 8 is asectional view ofthe same, taken on line y y in Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is a detailed view of oneof the bell-cranks used for adjusting the elevator-roller. 7

Like parts are indicated by similar letters of reference throughout theseveral views.

The endless carrier A, which consists in this case of a single piece ofcanvas, is mounted, as usual, on rollers which extend across theplatform at its inner and outer ends. The in- -ner roller is supportedin rigid bearings, and is adapted to be revolved through the agency ofsuitable mechanism from the master-wheel in any of the well-known ways.The outer roller, 13, is journaled at each end in sliding supports 0 O,which are secured on each side of the platform-frame in such a mannerthat they are free to move longitudinally in said frame. Thisispreferably done by bolting the sliding pieces or supports 0 Oto theinside of the platform by bolts a, which pass through slotted holes b insaid pieces.

The outer end of each of the sliding pieces 0 is connected, by suitablemeans, to one arm, 6, of a bell-crank lever, D, which bell-crank ispivoted at c on the end of the platform.

The connection between the end of the sliding piece 0. and thebell-crank lever D consists of a link, (I, which passes through the endof the bell-crank arm 6, and through an eye, a, in the end of a plate orstrap, a, which is' secured to the sliding rangement the sliding piecesare permitted to move longitudinally, while the end of the bell crankarm 0 describes the arc of a circle.

The straps c are preferably let into the sliding pieces 0, so that theystand flush with the surface of said pieces, thus permitting the slidingpieces to come up snug against the sides of the platform.

The outer end of the arm 6 of each bellcrank D is connected by a rod,1', to an adjustingdever, E, which is pivoted on the outside of the endboard, H. These rods 0' r are piece 0. By this ar connected to the leverE on each side of its center of oscillation and at an equal distancetherefrom, so that a movement of the lever in either direction producesa corresponding IOO movement of each of the sliding pieces 0 0 throughthe medium of the bell-cranks D and connections, thus moving the movableroller 13.

The connections between thebell-cranks and the adjusting-lever are madeadjustable, so that each of the bell-cranks may be independentlyadjusted in relation to the adj ustinglever, thus furnishing the meansfor lining up the roller 13, so as to bring the tension evenly on. eachedge of the carrier. This adjustment is preferably accomplished byscrew-threading the end of each of the rods r where it 0011- nects withthe adjusting-lever, and providing it with nuts n n, as shown.

To prevent the rods '1- 1-, where they pass through the lever E, frombeing strained or cramped by the vibratory movement of the said lever,the holes through which the rods pass should be slightly enlarged, andthe connections so made that the rods will have a slight amount of playtherein. If desired, the rods might be rigidly connected to studs orlugs adapted to turn in the lei'er.

The lever E is provided with a spring-bolt or other suitable mechanismadapted to engage with a segmental rack or yoke, F, where by the saidlever may be held in any of its various positions of adjustment. Tocompensate for any variations in the carrier-belt caused by thestretching and shrinkage due to atmospheric changes, the yoke F isadapted to yield when the lever E is connected thereto- This yieldingmovement is preferably accomplished by pivoting the yoke F concentricwith the lever E and providing a spring which, pressing against a fixedlug on the board H, acts against the yoke F when the lever is engagedtherewith. I have shown the yoke and lever both journalcd on astud-plate, f, rigidly secured to the end board, H. The part of the studon which the lever turns is preferably reduced in size, so as to form ashoulder between the lever and yoke, which permits each to turnfreelyand independent of the other. The spring sis placed on the insideof the yoke, with one end resting against a fixed stop, 71, secured tothe end board, II.

It will be understood that by this arrangement the lever E will beadapted to yield in any position of adj ustment in which it is placed,and the yielding movement will be distributed evenly at each end of themovable roller B.

To prevent the yoke from springing back when the lever is disengagedtherefrom for the purpose of increasing the tension upon the carrier, Iprovide a stop adapted to hold the yoke in a fixed position when it isso desired. This stop I have shown in the form of aslotted arm, f, cast011 the side of the yoke concentric therewith, and provided withathumbscrew, f, adapted to hold it in any desired position. XV hen it isdesired to increase the tension on the carrier, the thumbscrew istightened, holding the yoke in a fixed position, while the lever isdrawn back, after whichthe thumb-screw is again loosened and the yokeleft free to turn on the stud f to compensate for slight variations inthe carrier.

In applying the adjusting mechanism to the elevator for the purpose ofadjusting the elevator-apron I have shown the bell cranks placed on theoutside of the elevator-frame and lying parallel with the elevator-boardK the connection being made between the bellcranks and the slidingpieces by stud-plates Z, which are secured to the sliding pieces andproject through the board K, and also through the arm 6 of thebell-crank. The hole in the bell-crank armthrough which the stud passesshould be slotted, as shown in Fig. 9, to perniit of the slightlongitudinal movement of the belLcrank'on the said stud caused by thevibratory movement of the bell-crank arm.

The movable supporting roller may be placed either at the top or bottomof the elevator-frame. If placed at the top, in the present form ofharvesters, the means provided for revolving the roller must be adaptedto permit of the adjustment of the roller. In the drawings, Fig. 6, Ihave shown this accomplished by a tumbling-shaft connection, similar tothe device described in my Letters Iat ent No. 215,322, dated May 18,1879, which admits of the lateral adj ustment of said upper rollerwithout interfering with its operatingear.

D Having thus described my invention, I claim- 1. The combination, witha harvester-platform and an endless carrierhaving a movablesupportingroller, of a lever pivoted to the end of the platform, andmeans for connecting the ends of the said movable roller to the saidlever on opposite sides of its fulcrum, substantially as set forth.

' 2. The combination of an endless carrier having a movablesupporting-roller, a lever, and means for connecting the respective,ends of said roller to the lever on opposite sides of its fulcrum,substantially as and for the pur-' pose set forth.

3. The combination, with the movable roller of an endless-carrier, of alever connected at opposite sides of its fulcrum to the ends of saidroller, and means whereby said lever may be yieldingly secured in anyposition of adjustment, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

4. The combination, with the movable roller of an endless carrier, of alever connected at opposite sides of its fulcrum to the respective endsof the said roller, and means for adjust ing the "respective connectionsbetween the ends of the said roller and the lever, substan tially as andfor the purpose set forth.

5. The combination, with an endless carrier, of a movable rollerjournaled at each end in a sliding bearing, an adj Listing-leverconnected by suitable means to the respective sliding bearings atopposite sides of its fulcrum, and means for yieldingly securing saidlever in its adjusted positions, whereby a yielding press; I

ure may be exerted equally 011 both edges of said carrier, substantiallyas specified.

6. The combination, with a movable roller I of a grain-elevator, of anadjusting-lever adapted to move both ends of said roller simultaneously,and the shaft for driving said roller flexibly connected therewith, toadmit of the lateral movement of said roller to adjust the carrier,substantially as set forth.

7. The combination, with the movable supporting-roller of an endlesscarrier, of bellcranks connected with the bearings of said roller, onebell-crank at each end of said roller,

of said roller, an adjusting-lever, means for connecting saidbell-cranks to said lever on opposite sides of its fulcrum, and meansfor yieldingly securing said lever in different positions of adjustment,substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

10. The combination of the movable roller of an endless carrier,bell-cranks connected with the ends of said roller, an adjusting-lever,adjustable rods connecting said bellcranks to said lever at oppositesides of its fulcrum, and a yielding mechanism for holding said lever indifferent positions of adjustment, substantially as set forth.

11. The combination, with an endless carrier, of the sliding supports,the roller journaled at each end therein, the adjusting-lever connectedat opposite sides of its fulcrum to the respective bearings, and theyielding yoke, substantially as and for -the purpose set forth.

In witness whereof I hereunto subscribe my name this 14th day of May, A.D. 1883.

CHAS. COLAHAN.

WVitnesses:

PAUL A. STALEY, \VILLIAM S. GRANGER.

